1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device, a control method for the image forming device, and a control program for the image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally use has been made of image forming devices such as scanners for reading original images, copiers for printing those original images read by scanners, printers or facsimiles for printing externally input original images, and the so-called multi-function peripherals (MFP) that have the functions of those electronic devices. Some image forming devices of this type operate to read a marking (such as a two-dimensional barcode), in which a control code is embedded, from an original image, when being commanded to output (print or transmit) the original image. Then, the devices provide control to the output processing of the original image in accordance with the control code embedded in the marking (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-080939 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-227743).
Conventional image forming devices are configured to control the process of outputting original images on a “document-by-document” or “page-by-page” basis in accordance with the control code embedded in the marking. The conventional image forming device designed as such may not be able to ensure the security of a document in its output processing when a page having an embedded entire-document control code and a page having an embedded one-page control code exist simultaneously in no particular order within the document. More specifically, suppose that the first page having a “document output not permitted” code as an embedded control code and the second page having a “page output permitted” code as an embedded control code coexist in no particular order within the document. In this case, if the control code embedded in the second page is read before the control code embedded in the first page, the second page is output even though the entire document is prohibited from being output. This makes it impossible to provide the security of the document in its output processing.